Magazine of the Month: Mollie Makes

This is the first in a new feature series I’m introducing – Magazine of the Month. Every month I’ll be recommending an arts/crafts magazine and sharing with you the things I like about it.

I’ve been a magazine junkie since my early teens and cut my journalist’s teeth on a magazine’s editorial team. In recent years, I’ve developed something of an obsession with crafters’ magazines.

I’m delighted to announce that the publishers of my first recommended read, Mollie Makes, are offering readers of The Patchwork Quill the chance to try three issues of the magazine for just £5 when you subscribe via quarterly direct debit. That’s essentially two free issues, so I hope loads of you take up the offer – details at the end of the post.

Today is the Quill’s first birthday, so I guess I’m celebrating this first anniversary American-style, with paper!

So here it is, the gorgeous Mollie Makes.

This was issue 16 of the monthly magazine, which also celebrated its first birthday this year, on May 12th.

Its motto is ‘Making, thrifting, collecting, crafting’ which drew me to it instantly. The most observant Quill readers will have already spotted the other reason I snapped it up….

FRIENDSHIP BRACELETS!!!

My first foray into crafting was making friendship bracelets as a child and, at the age of 28, I still love to make them.

The feature was illustrated with a fabulously nostalgic photoshoot – all stonewash denim, candy colours and neon – as well as a handful of easy-to-follow bracelet-making tutorials with accompanying pictures.

The contents page is clean, bright and uncluttered, a great intro to the mag.

The how-to / tutorial features are photographed well and clearly explained, really easy to follow. There’s a good mix of projects and something for the beginner (eg spray-painted neon bags and shoes), the crafter with a bit more knowledge and experience (eg sewn ruffle skirt) and for those with fairly advanced or specialist skills (eg crocheted lampshade).

Neon bags and shoes tutorial, courtesy of Michaela and Lotta from Hey Look

Buyers’ guides and ‘what’s on’ pages are just as pleasing to the eye with well-chosen images and strong editorial.

Shopping suggestions, following this issue’s neon style theme.

THE REGULARS

New – craft news
Out and About – report from an event
Trends – this issue: neon
Living – pick of the best buys for the home
Home Tour – a look around a handcrafted home
Templates – all the shapes and templates for featured projects
Loving – one-page ‘moodboard’ to inspire
Mollie Makes Visits… – this issue: vintage warehouse Most Marvellous
My Space: this issue: studio space of Cartolina‘s Fiona Richards

THE PROJECTS

Luggage tag (materials = free gift on cover)
Friendship bracelets
Needle-felted bear key chain
Crocheted lampshade by Catherine Hirst, author of Granny Square Crochet
Quilted placemat by Tacha Bruecher of Fat Quartley
Fabric scrapbook by Amy Tan
Ruffle skirt by Tanya Whelan, author of Sew What You Love

THE FACTFILE

PUBLISHED: Monthly
COVER PRICE: £4.99
YEAR’S SUBSCRIPTION: £48.49
CIRCULATION: No ABC figure as yet
UK STOCKISTS: WH Smith, Sainsbury’s, Asda, and a selection of other supermarkets, newsagents and craft shops. (NB I bought my copy in Tesco in Lisburn.)
WEBSITE: http://molliemakes.themakingspot.com

If you feel inspired to try the magazine for yourself, you can’t pass up Mollie Makes’ fantastic special offer to you lucky Quill readers: try three issues for just £5 when you subscribe today via quarterly direct debit. The offer is valid until the 16th August 2012.

Mollie Makes special subscription offer

Come back here and share your thoughts – was the offer good value for money? Are you a fan of this magazine already? What projects from its tutorials have you completed? (Don’t forget to send pics and maybe I’ll feature you in a future post!)

Please let me know what you think of Magazine of the Month and fire me an email or a tweet to recommend a magazine I should feature here next time.

Also, I am still gathering responses to my feedback survey, having a great response so far, with loads of you taking the time to share your ideas. The link’s at the top of the homepage and it’s 100% anonymous, so be brutally honest – I can take it!